Emslie Nicholson Gault Jr. (Nick)

Emslie Nicholson Gault Jr. (Nick), of Manchester Center Vermont, passed away on Saturday December 17, 2022. He was 81.

Nick was born on October 17, 1941 in White Plains, NY to Emslie and Margaret Gault. His father worked for the Coca-Cola company, and much of his childhood was spent relocating from Pelham, NY to Tennessee, Florida and then Texas. Although, he always called Pelham his home.

Nick famously went to four fourth grades before settling down in Dallas, Texas for high school. He went on to graduate from the University of Virginia with the class of 1963 and enlisted in the US Army that same year. Nick served as a Second Lieutenant on a Nike-Hercules missile defense site. After being honorably discharged, Nick followed his father’s footsteps, and started a career with the Coca-Cola company as a district manager for the bottler division, serving Charleston, SC and Raleigh, NC.

Nick entered the University of Virginia Law School in 1968. Here he found his dearest, lifelong friends. After receiving his law degree, Nick clerked for the honorable Edward S. Northrop, chief judge of the U.S district court of Maryland. Following the clerkship, he served for four years with the States Attorney’s office for Baltimore City. He then joined a law firm for the next four years and then spent the remainder of his career in private practice. Nick retired in 2017 and moved to Vermont to enjoy the company of his sons and grandchildren and the good weather.

Nick was a collector of old English law books and an avid sports fan of all levels. He took time from his busy schedule to attend all of his sons’ swim meets, soccer, and lacrosse games. He enjoyed watching premier league soccer and American football. He learned to ski as an adult and returned yearly to Oberlech, Austria. Nick found respite in the Alps, drinking German beer, eating wonderful food and meeting people from all around the world. He passed on this love for the mountains to his sons and grandchildren and enjoyed many Vermont summers and falls with his family.

Above all, Nick was a devoted husband to Judith Miller Gault, a loving father to Emslie Nicholson Gault III and Matthew Miller Gault, and a doting grandfather to Taylor Elizabeth Gault and Emslie Nicholson Gault IV. He is survived by his older brother, Dr. James Harvey Gault and predeceased by his sister, Kitty Whitman Gault Gravins. His family and friends will forever remember him for his commitment to those he loved and his witty sense of humor.

The family will host a celebration of life in the spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Neighbor to Neighbor, a volunteer organization in Manchester Center that supports elder Vermonters. P.O. Box 226, Manchester Center, Vermont 05255, www.neighbortoneighborvt.org.